The announcement of the closing of Maelstrom to make way for a Frozen-themed ride in Epcot’s Norway pavilion has been met with some controversy. Some are sad to see the charming boat ride removed, while others believe a ride themed to a Disney movie takes away from World Showcase’s overall aesthetic. Some are just happy something new is finally coming to Epcot’s back half.
Ultimately, though, that debate is focused on a larger question: What exactly is Epcot about?
I’ve argued before that what separates Epcot from Disney’s other parks is that, rather than telling a story, it seeks to argue a thesis. To me, that thesis is this: The better we are able to communicate with one another in the present, the better the world will be in the future. And, if you were to pick one attraction that argues that thesis more effectively than any other, you’d obviously have to go with Spaceship Earth.
So, maybe, if we take a look at the story of Spaceship Earth – where its been, where it is, and where it may be going – we can get some sense of the future of our beloved park. Just as Epcot has changed drastically since its opening in 1982, so too has its signature and iconic attraction.
Here are a few ways Spaceship Earth has transformed over the years:
1. Beginnings and the Ray Bradbury Era (1982-1986)
Spaceship Earth would not exist if not for a man named Buckminster Fuller. Fuller was a classically 20th century guy – he was a philosopher, a mathematician, and an architect. He served as the president of Mensa. Not only did Fuller popularize and patent the geodesic dome – a structural concept that ultimately birthed the Epcot icon – but he also helped coin the term “Spaceship Earth.” To Fuller, our Earth is much like a spaceship in that it has limited resources, and that we, as people, must work together to act as its crew and safely command it through the harsh environment of space.
Fuller, like Walt Disney himself, wanted to change the world and make it a better place, so it’s fitting that his work would wind up influencing the centerpiece attraction of Epcot.
When it first debuted in 1982, Spaceship Earth was a bit different. Featuring narration by actor Lawrence Dobkin, Spaceship Earth opened with its original story written in collaboration with science-fiction master Ray Bradbury. Bradbury’s script was highly literary, using imagery and complex diction to accompany the set pieces in place. For example, his depiction of the fall of Rome is more descriptive than later versions of the attraction’s script: “Glorious Rome, until consumed by the flames of excess. Imperial Rome, lost in the ashes of darkness.”
Much of the ride is the same today as it was during its opening in 1982: most of the major early scenes, such as Rome and the Sistine Chapel, have only had minor cosmetic changes over the years.
This version lasted just four years, however, before Imagineers opted to slightly refresh the script and ride experience. Original recordings are rare, but do exist; however, due to the fact that this iteration of the ride didn’t stick around very long, it’s mostly been lost to time.
2. The Walter Cronkite Era (1986-1994)
In 1986, Spaceship Earth got a minor refurbishment – updating some of the minor effects, introducing the “Tomorrow’s Child” theme song, and adding Walter Cronkite as the narrator. Cronkite hosted the CBS Evening News from 1962-1981, and in the process, became one of the most trusted figures in America. Naturally, his version of the attraction took a deliberately more straightforward tone than the Bradbury script. Cronkite’s voice, with its trademark cadence, told the story even more clearly, allowing the beauty of the sets to work on their own, rather than exist in conversation with the language.
Also during this time, Epcot expanded wildly: The Living Seas and Wonders of Life pavilions opened in Future World, as well as the Norway pavilion in World Showcase. For many, the late 1980s and early 1990s represent Epcot’s peak, and the Cronkite version of Spaceship Earth is emblematic of that era — confident, high-reaching, and very smart.
Furthermore, Cronkite’s history as a news anchor added another layer to the ride’s overarching theme of communication. Here’s someone trusted with bringing America the news, not just from the U.S.A., but also from around the world – an idea that represents the Epcot ideal perfectly. And above even that, Cronkite was highly respected in a way no broadcaster has been since, largely because many viewed him as their conduit to the world. His role narrating a trip through human history simply expanded that level of storytelling from the ride, and gave the whole experience an added sense of comfort and familiarity.
3. The Jeremy Irons Era (1994-2007)
In 1994, Spaceship Earth received its first major renovation. Gone was the Cronkite narration, and with it, several scenes from the ride. The space station scene at the ride’s climax was removed, along with a few minor scenes meant to portray modern times. And, notably, the ride’s ending was wholly redesigned.
The most obvious changes for guests were the introduction of a new score (brilliantly composed by Endo Guidotti) and a new narration by actor Jeremy Irons.
Irons’s voice, coupled with a newer, more dramatic script, made the overall tone of the attraction serious and meditative. Not quite as flowery as the Bradbury version, or as simplistic as the Cronkite version, the Irons script perfectly walked the line between the two. The attraction’s opening line in this period perfectly illustrated that fact: “Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time. And for a brief moment, we have been among its many passengers.” That line is so iconic, it’s even managed to stick around after the 2007 update.
For many (including this author), the 1994 refurbishment remains the definitive edition of Spaceship Earth. Its notes of inspiration, history, futurism, and hope all perfectly intertwined with the visual and auditory components to make a truly wonderful ride. The ending, featuring Guidotti’s moving score and an overwhelming fiber-optic effect, along with a arresting tableau of families connecting wirelessly using technology, was one of Disney’s most effective denouements.
And, as testimony to the attraction’s success, it stuck around the longest – going a full 13 years between major refurbishments.
4. The Judi Dench Era (2007-Present)
Epcot is a tricky place. Ostensibly, Future World represents an attainable version of tomorrow, but when tomorrow finally gets here, it can look somewhat obsolete and old. And, with technology, the rate of progress has increased over time, making the shelf-life of these attractions and experiences shorter and shorter.
So, in 2007, Spaceship Earth was in need of a redesign. Many of its predicted future technologies were already everyday realities, and the experience needed a slight facelift.
The result is the attraction we have today – one with a charmingly casual narration by the incomparable Dame Judi Dench, and a score by the illuminatingly talented Bruce Broughton.
As for the ride’s set pieces, this edition saw a few more scenes get axed. The scene with a young man and woman essentially skyping between North America and Asia was removed and replaced with a scene depicting the rise of computers, including a kinda-sorta-Steve Jobs animatronic. Also, notably, the ride’s stunning fiber-optic ending was replaced with an in-car animation, shown on newly installed television screens.
The Spaceship Earth of today is wonderful, certainly. It’s fun, it’s fascinating, and, importantly, it’s air-conditioned. Yes, its ending leaves something lacking, but on the whole, the ride is as engaging and moving as its ever been. Its subtle shift in tone has made it less self-serious, and more playful and light-hearted. It’s left behind its lofty inspiration, and introduced a more easy-going atmosphere.
Ultimately, that’s what’s happened to Epcot as well. The Living Seas began with a serious description of the dawn of the oceans, and now it’s themed to Finding Nemo. The Universe of Energy explained how the world’s energy came into being, and how it’s used. Ellen’s Energy Adventure is a funny, snarky trip through the production of fossil fuels. And, of course, Maelstrom was a quirky boat ride touching on the culture of Norway. Now, it’s becoming an elaborate synergy opportunity for the Walt Disney Company.
But isn’t the world becoming that way too? Aren’t we all taking ourselves a little less seriously now? Isn’t fun just as important as work, or even moreso? Isn’t that, really, a good thing?
Epcot, like the world, is changing. Its centerpiece attraction has always been in flux, but it’s always withstood the changes and still been as important and powerful as ever. Let’s have a bit of faith that Epcot, itself, can do the same thing.
